MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF ‘CANDIDATUS PHYTOPLASMA SOLANI’ FROM Prunus avium AND Solanaceous CROPS IN DIFFERENT REGIONS OF AZERBAIJAN

Abstract

‘Ca. P. solani’ has recently been detected in annual crops such as eggplant, pepper and tomatoes, also in declining cherry trees and common medlar in Azerbaijan. The aim of the present
study was to carry out molecular characterization of stolbur phytoplasma isolates from infected
Solanaceous crop, cherry and insect vectors in different regions of Azerbaijan by genotyping based
non-ribosomal gene stamp. Surveys were conducted in Baku, Absheron and Guba regions. Genotyping by sequencing the stamp gene that encodes the antigenic membrane protein of Stolbur
showed that stolbur isolates detected in Azerbaijan have eight genotypes; seven of Stamp genotypes
grouped in the branch of tuf-type b stamp cluster III. The isolate AZ2012-PV1 had a Stamp genotype different from others and grouped in Stamp cluster II.
Keywords: ‘Ca. P. solani’, RFLP, stamp gene amplification, sequence analysis, genotyping,
Prunus avium, Solanaceae